Nearly three weeks after the fatal Learjet crash in Baramati that killed senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar and four others, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Thursday said the special audit of VSR Ventures, a private aviation company, was expected to conclude shortly, even as the technical probe into the accident gathers pace.The ministry said it had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to carry out a detailed review of the operator’s regulatory compliance, operational control systems, maintenance practices, crew training standards, safety management systems and monitoring of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) data.”The audit findings, once finalised, will be examined under the DGCA’s enforcement policy and procedures manual, and action will follow wherever violations are established,” said officials.The ministry has also asked the regulator to undertake special audits of other major non-scheduled operators and aerodromes engaged in VIP and VVIP operations. These inspections are being conducted in phases, with enforcement action to be initiated wherever required. The step indicates a wider scrutiny of charter and executive flight operations beyond the Baramati crash.The investigation into the 28 January accident involving the Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) is being conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) strictly in accordance with the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2025, and the Standards and Recommended Practices under ICAO Annex 13 framed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.The crash occurred near Baramati airport in Pune district during landing. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had departed from Mumbai earlier that morning and was scheduled to address four public meetings in his hometown ahead of the Zila Parishad elections.Along with the senior NCP leader, those who died in the crash were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had logged over 15,000 flying hours, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak with around 1,500 hours of experience, Personal Security Officer Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.According to the Ministry, the aircraft was equipped with two independent flight recorders. The digital flight data recorder (DFDR), manufactured by L3 Communications, has been successfully downloaded at the AAIB’s facility in New Delhi. However, the cockpit voice recorder sustained thermal damage in the crash. Since it was manufactured by Honeywell, technical assistance has been sought from the state of design and manufacture in line with international protocols.The AAIB has described the investigation as technical and evidence-based. It involves a systematic examination of the wreckage, analysis of operational and maintenance records and laboratory testing of components wherever required. A preliminary report is to be issued within 30 days of the occurrence as per ICAO norms, while the final report will follow after completion of the full investigation.The Ministry also pointed out that during 2025, the DGCA conducted 51 regulatory audits of non-scheduled operators. In addition, multiple surveillance inspections of VSR Ventures were carried out across areas, including flight safety systems, flight duty time limitations, maintenance compliance under CAR M and CAR 145, documentation and station facilities. All findings from those inspections were reported to have been addressed and closed.